Chomolhari Trek 15 Days
- Overview
- Full Itinerary
- Contact
This trek is about an adventure through unparalleled scenic beauty of diverse landscape of Bhutan to the base of Mt. Chomolhari (7320m), the sacred abode of the goddess Chomo, which is the second highest peak of Bhutan. The trek offers an opportunity to experience unique cultural heritage of Bhutanese people, while taking you through dense forests, lush green farmlands, high mountain passes, picturesque twin lakes of Tso Phu, the ruins of ancient fortresses and stupas, captivating views of the giant rock faces with amazing waterfalls, and the irresistible panoramic view of stunning peaks of Mt. Chomolhari, Mt. Jichu Drake, Mt. Basingthang, Mt. Takaphu, and Mt. Gangchen Ta.
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Short Itinerary |
| Day 01: Onboard flight to Bhutan. Day 02: Arrive Paro. Day 03: Paro Valley sightseeing. Day 04: Excursion to Taksang. Day 05: Trek begins: Paro - Shana. Day 06: Shana – Soe Thangthangka. Day 07: Soe Thangthangka- Jangothang. Day 08: Rest day at Jangothang. Day 09: Jangothang.- Lingshi. Day 10: Lingshi. – Shodu. Day 11: Shodu – Barshong. Day 12: Barshong-Dalamkencho. Day 13: Dalamkencho. – Dodena – Thimpu. Day 14: Thimpu – Paro. Day 15: Departure. |
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Trip Cost > |
6975$/P
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International Flights > |
$1850/Person
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Regional Flights > |
N/A |
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Travel Innsurance > |
From $250/P |
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Cost Includes:
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Cost Excludes:
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| - All airport transfers. - Hotel accommodation on twin sharing basis. - Daily Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. - North Face Tents during the treks. - Private vehicles. - Local English Speaking Tour Escort/guide. - All sightseeing with entry fees. - All applicable govt. taxes. |
- All flights. - All applicable airport taxes. - Special entry fees for camera / video camera. - Laundry, telephone calls, drinks, etc. - Tips. - Travel and Personal Insurance. - Passport and Visas. - All other services different from above mentioned. |
Sector
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Hotel/Camping
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Nights
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| Paro | Amankora Paro | 04 |
| Trekking Routes | Camping | 08 |
| Thimpu | Amankora Thimpu | 02 |
Day 01: Fly Kathmandu – Paro (2280 m, Flight: I hr).
The flight into Paro is one of the most spectacular experiences one can ever have. The flight goes by the chain of the world’s highest mountains such as Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Macalu, and Mt. Kanchanjunga. As the plane glides into Paro Valley, you will be greeted with the great view of the approaching valley with primeval alpine forests, numerous little monasteries, temples, and farmhouses. You will also be able to catch the glimpse of the colossal Paro Dzong and the winding Paro Chu river just before landing. After completing visa and custom formalities, you will be received by our representatives, who will drive you to your hotel.
After lunch, we visit the prime places of Paro such Chhoeten Lhakang and Druk Choeding, which will have some famous religious figures with historic significance built with lot of care and art long time ago.At night, we drive back to your hotel in Paro.
Day 02: Paro Valley Sightseeing.
After breakfast, we proceed for another day of sightseeing tours of more prominent venues of Paro. We also treat this day as an acclimatization day, and spent our time visiting following sites of ParoKyichu Lhakhang or Kyichu Temple: It is one of the most significant temples in the Paro area of Bhutan. Legend has it that Bhutan and much of the Himalaya range had been besieged by a giant ogress, who was lying across the area to prevent the spread of Buddhism. In the 7th Century the Tibetan king gave orders to his people to build temples at key points on the ogress's body to sap her evil powers. And, Kyichu was believed to be the location of her left foot. The National Museum: It is the main tourist attraction in Paro Valley. This national museum is housed in Ta dzong, which is an ancient watchtower. The white and brown ringed fortress, built in 1657 was made as the National Museum in 1967. This museum is the country’s only archive, and has the collection of old coins, stamps, birds, mammals, and the costumes of the people of Bhutan at various times of its history. It also houses ancient weapons including the bows used in archery, and numerous other ancient Bhutanese art and artifacts.
The Philatellic Gallery: Near the top of the national museum is another greatest tourist attraction. This gallery contains a large collection of stamps, which is a big business in Bhutan and are an important source of foreign exchange. The postage stamps are also brought by visitors as they cover a wide range of subjects and are beautifully printed. On 30 October 1967, Bhutan issued the world’s first three-dimensional stamps in commemoration of man’s conquest of space. The world’s first steel stamps printed on hair-thin-steel foil reflect the importance of steel industry in the economic development of Bhutan. Silk stamps with religious motifs of Bhutan were also printed. The king of Bhutan has been featured on a series of gold-embossed coin stamps. Bhutan was also the first country to introduce “Talking Stamps” in 1973. These stamps were gummed miniature phonograph records playing Bhutan’s national anthem. The Rimpung Dzong or Paro Dzong: It is situated on the hillside above the gently meandering Paro River. Rimpung means the heap of jewels, and Paro Dzong is the symbolic center of religious and secular affairs of entire Paro Valley. This fortress offers the view of the Paro Valley stretched out below. Some centuries ago, it was an unreachable fortress that repelled invasions from Tibet. But, today, it houses the Paro monastic body with the office of the Dzongda (district commissioner) and Thrimpon (district judge). Consecrated in 1646, the Dzong is an architectural wonder that showcases the cultural strength of kingdom's strength.
The Thongdroel: It is the most sacred giant, which is painted in an appliquéd scroll and depicts the eight manifestations of Guru Padmasambhava with its two attendants - Khendu Yeshey Tsogyel and Khandu Minona Rawa. It is displayed for a few hours on the concluding days of the Paro Tesechu festival held from the 10th to 14th day of the Bhutanese lunar calendar’s second month. It is unfurled before dawn for the few hours before the direct rays of the sun strikes it. This giant is about 400 years old, and can be easily damaged by sun rays. Ugyen Pelri : Palace is in a secluded wooded compound on the south side of the river just west of the dzong. It is designed after Guru Rinpoche’s celestial paradise, Zangto Pelri, and is one of the most beautiful examples of Bhutanese architecture.
Dumtse Lhakhang: It is an unusual chorten-like temple that was built in 1433, which has three floors representing represent hell, earth and heaven. The murals inside of this temple are said to be some of the finest in Bhutan.In the evening, you will have some free time to stroll around the streets of Paro for you to do some shopping and visit some farm houses to experience the real lifestyle of Bhutanese people.
Day 03: Excursion to Takstang Monastery.
Today, after a hearty breakfast, we proceed for an excursion to Takstang Monastery by driving to Sartsham Chorten followed by two hours of uphill horse-riding. Takstang Monastery is the famous 17th century temple, also known as “The Tiger’s Nest”, which is perched high on a breathtaking vertical granite rock cliff almost 900 meters above Paro valley (3000 m). In 8th century, Guru Rinpoche, the great Indian saint who brought Buddhism to Bhutan, is believed to have arrived here flying on the back of a tigress and have meditated in the cave here for about three months. After him, many great masters followed. Among them were Guru Milarepa, Guru Padampa Sangye, Guru Machik Lapdrön and Guru Thangtong Gyalpo. The view from here is a superb one, and the atmosphere is very holy with the place itself is revered as of the most sacred places in the universe.At night, we head back to our hotel in Paro.
Day 04: Drive Paro – Shana, Trek begins (2890 m, Distance: 15 km, Duration: 5hrs).
Today we drive for about 5 hours from Paro to Shana, which will be our starting point of the trek. The ruins of Drukgyel Dzong with Mt. Chomolhari behind will make the start of our trek a wonderful one. The trek will start out on a dirt road for 1 hour through a wide, rich, and cultivated valley beneath forest-covered mountains. The first small settlement we will encounter is Tsento Zampa, where we see numerous traditional Bhutanese farmhouses with bright red chilly being dried on their roofs. The trek continues on the east side of the river, gently through the forests, and after two & a half hour of walking we reach at the big military camp of Gunitsawa. The camp has a school and some shops, and your trekking permit will be checked at the camp entrance. At the back of our campsite will be a big snowy peak of Mt. Jo Drakey, and tonight will be our first night of camping inside our tents.
Day 05: Trek Shana – Soe Thangthangka (3575 m, Trek: 22 km, Duration: 7-8 hrs).
Today, it will be a long walk with a lot of distance to cover. We will gain lot in altitude, and we will find the trail rough and stony with many rises and drops in the evening.
Following the river upstream from the campsite, we pass old ruins of Shana Bridge and climb steadily through a heavily forested area of oak, rhododendron, bamboo and ferns. Not far after village of Shing Karap, we pass a junction en-route, where another path leads up the easy, forbidden pass of Tremo La and onwards to the city of Phari in Tibet. Then the trail makes a short steep climb, and then another descent towards the river. After crossing the bridge, we will get to Thongo Zam, which will be our lunch spot. After our lunch, trek to Thangthangka continues through the forest consisting of birch, fir, larch, maple and blue pine. On clear weather we can see Mt. Chomolhari to the North. Further up, we walk for about 20-30 minutes until we reach our campsite in a meadow.
Day 06: Trek Soe Thangthangka- Jangothang (4044 m, Distance: 17 km, Time: 4-5 hrs).
After enjoying the view of Mt. Chomolhari along with our breakfast, we go back on our trail that leaves the forest line and gradually climbs into a beautiful valley passing through Tegethang, a winter home of yak herdsmen. After continuing further, we arrive at Jangothang, which is a base camp of Mt. Chomolhari. This valley is wide and high with mountains like Mt. Chomolhari and Mt. Jichu Drake overlooking the camp and ruins of old fortress nearby. We fix our tents again at night for another night of camping by the majestic mountains.
Day 07: Rest Day at Jangothang.
Today, we will rest at the camp for acclimatization purposes. There will be some good hikes from the base camp, one of them being walking towards the east towards the twin lakes of Tsho Phu. From the lakes, we can catch a spectacular view of Mt. Chomolhari and Mt. Jichu Drake. We can also see hers of Himalayan Blue Sheep in this place.
Day08: Trek Jangothang - Lingshi (4010 m, Trek: 21 km, Duration: 6-7 hrs).
After breakfast, we get back on our trail which starts climbing out of the valley into another that leads to the final climb towards the pass. It will be a long climb of about 3-4 hours to reach the first high and very windy pass of this trek, the Nyelela Pass, also known “sleepy pass” (4890m). From Nyelela Pass, one can see far towards the northeast of the trekking route we will be covering over the next couple of days. Mt. Takaphu dominates the view towards the north and Mt. Gangchen Ta (“Tiger Mountain”) towards the east. After descending through a narrow gorge with a small river crossing, the trail leads to a view-point from which Mt. Lingshi Dzong can be seen. Our campsite will be located next to a river.
Day 09: Trek Lingshi – Shodu (4080 m, Trek: 22km, 8 hrs).
We start early again, as we have a long and a hard day ahead of us. We travel through the rhododendron forest on the ridge above camp towards a small chorten (stupa). Below the chorten flows the No chhu river, which is also known as The Blue river. The climb rises to an altitude of 4450 m, and the last part of the climb is through an area with large boulders and several switch backs. After 4-5 hours of leaving camp we reach the big cairn on the top of the Yale La Pass (4,950m), with views of the snowy mountains around Mt. Linghis and Mt. Basingthang peaks. The descent joins the Jaradinthang Chhu, which becomes the Thimphu River. We follow the river until reaching Shodu, which will have our campsite for our overnight camping.
Day10: Trek Shodu – Barshong (3720 m, Trek: 14 km, Duration: 4-5 hrs).
In the morning, we pass a deserted military camp following the trail towards the river through the limestone valley. While crossing the bridge over the main river, we catch good views of the giant rock faces and waterfalls. The trail gradually ascends 130 m to the Barshong Dzong ruins. We could either camp here or carry on for an hour for a better campsite.
Day 11: Trek Barshong - Dalamkencho (3600 m, Trek: 5-6 hrs).
Today, we descend through alpine forests and meet Thimphu River once again. After lunch climb, we head up to Dolamkencho camp at the altitude of 3,600m. By then, we would have already spent 5 to 6 hours. We set up our tents again and rest our night away.
Day 12: Trek Dolamkencho (3290 m) – Dodena, & Drive to Thimphu (Trek: 8km, 5-6 hours, Drive: 15 km).
The trail goes in and out of side valleys above Thimphu Chu river making a long ascent through a forest of conifers and high altitude broad leaves to a pass at 3,510m. The trail then drops steeply to the river and follows it southward to the road at Dodena (2,600m), where we will be picked up by our counterpart in Bhutan, and driver you to Thimphu. We accommodate ourselves in one of the finest hotel in Thimphu.
Day 13: Thimphu Sightseeing.
After a good breakfast, we drive for two hours to Thimpu, where we proceed to the sightseeing tours of the following prominent locations, before we leave for Paro in the late afternoon.:
Memorial Chorten dominates the skyline of Thimpu. This Chorten is dedicated to the Third King of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, after his sudden death while traveling abroad. A great amount of renovation has taken place for the 2008 celebrations to mark the Century of the Monarchy in Bhutan. While you are here in Thimpu, the Capital City of Bhutan, don't forget to take a stroll to this Memorial Chorten, which looks tall and beautiful as you make around the chorten. The Chorten serves the right place for older people and religious people to visit and worship the god and pay homage to the deities.
Tashichho Dzong (Fortress of the Glorious Religion) was first built in 1661, and except the central keep, the entire structure was rebuilt in 1961-62 and now houses the main government departments, the National Assembly, the throne room of the king, and summer headquarters of the Central Monastic Body.
Simtokha Dzong was built in 1627 making it the oldest in Thimpu and gateway to the Thimpu Valley. The Dzong houses Rigney School for Dzongkha and monastic studies. There are beautiful frescos and slate carvings in Simtokha.
National Museum’s collection includes ancient Bhutanese arts and artifacts, weapons stamps, birds, animals, and an incredible collection of silver tea-ware. This is typical of the eclectic beauty of Bhutan - its prized objects bear little relation to each other but as a whole stand together as a history of one of the world's most pristine people.Thimphu Golf Course is the world most remote golf course, which is just next to Tashichodzong, the seat of His Majesty the King of Bhutan and other ministries. Royal Thimpu golf course is the only course, which is open to the public and interested players.
Weekend Market The weekend market is crammed into a set of stalls on both banks of the Wang Chhu river just north of Changlimithang Stadium. Vendors from throughout the region arrive on Thursday and Friday and remain until Sunday night. It's an interesting place to visit, where village people jostle with Thimpu residents for the best and cheapest vegetables and food products. Fruits come from local orchards and from southern regions, and during the winter you can even pick up a leg of yak (with the hoof still attached). Across the newly constructed cantilever footbridge to the west bank is a collection of stalls, which will be housing clothes, fabrics and handicrafts. Here you will find locally produced goods (as well as plenty of stuff from Nepal), including prayer wheels, cymbals, horns, cloth, baskets and remarkable hats from various minority groups. Bargaining is very much popular, you could get the help from your guide to get the quality of your intended purchase in a reasonable price. In the evening, we accommodate ourselves in the hotel of Paro.
Day 14: Drive Thimphu -Paro (Drive: 65 kms, 2 hrs.)
Relax morning, after breakfast we take 2 hours drive back to Paro. At Paro you will have free day and could explore the suroundings of your interest after lunch, if you wish to make an excursion on this day let you guide know to advise you appropriate hiking route.
Day 14: Departure
The flight into Paro is one of the most spectacular experiences one can ever have. The flight goes by the chain of the world’s highest mountains such as Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Macalu, and Mt. Kanchanjunga. As the plane glides into Paro Valley, you will be greeted with the great view of the approaching valley with primeval alpine forests, numerous little monasteries, temples, and farmhouses. You will also be able to catch the glimpse of the colossal Paro Dzong and the winding Paro Chu river just before landing. After completing visa and custom formalities, you will be received by our representatives, who will drive you to your hotel.
After lunch, we visit the prime places of Paro such Chhoeten Lhakang and Druk Choeding, which will have some famous religious figures with historic significance built with lot of care and art long time ago.At night, we drive back to your hotel in Paro.
Day 02: Paro Valley Sightseeing.
After breakfast, we proceed for another day of sightseeing tours of more prominent venues of Paro. We also treat this day as an acclimatization day, and spent our time visiting following sites of ParoKyichu Lhakhang or Kyichu Temple: It is one of the most significant temples in the Paro area of Bhutan. Legend has it that Bhutan and much of the Himalaya range had been besieged by a giant ogress, who was lying across the area to prevent the spread of Buddhism. In the 7th Century the Tibetan king gave orders to his people to build temples at key points on the ogress's body to sap her evil powers. And, Kyichu was believed to be the location of her left foot. The National Museum: It is the main tourist attraction in Paro Valley. This national museum is housed in Ta dzong, which is an ancient watchtower. The white and brown ringed fortress, built in 1657 was made as the National Museum in 1967. This museum is the country’s only archive, and has the collection of old coins, stamps, birds, mammals, and the costumes of the people of Bhutan at various times of its history. It also houses ancient weapons including the bows used in archery, and numerous other ancient Bhutanese art and artifacts.
The Philatellic Gallery: Near the top of the national museum is another greatest tourist attraction. This gallery contains a large collection of stamps, which is a big business in Bhutan and are an important source of foreign exchange. The postage stamps are also brought by visitors as they cover a wide range of subjects and are beautifully printed. On 30 October 1967, Bhutan issued the world’s first three-dimensional stamps in commemoration of man’s conquest of space. The world’s first steel stamps printed on hair-thin-steel foil reflect the importance of steel industry in the economic development of Bhutan. Silk stamps with religious motifs of Bhutan were also printed. The king of Bhutan has been featured on a series of gold-embossed coin stamps. Bhutan was also the first country to introduce “Talking Stamps” in 1973. These stamps were gummed miniature phonograph records playing Bhutan’s national anthem. The Rimpung Dzong or Paro Dzong: It is situated on the hillside above the gently meandering Paro River. Rimpung means the heap of jewels, and Paro Dzong is the symbolic center of religious and secular affairs of entire Paro Valley. This fortress offers the view of the Paro Valley stretched out below. Some centuries ago, it was an unreachable fortress that repelled invasions from Tibet. But, today, it houses the Paro monastic body with the office of the Dzongda (district commissioner) and Thrimpon (district judge). Consecrated in 1646, the Dzong is an architectural wonder that showcases the cultural strength of kingdom's strength.
The Thongdroel: It is the most sacred giant, which is painted in an appliquéd scroll and depicts the eight manifestations of Guru Padmasambhava with its two attendants - Khendu Yeshey Tsogyel and Khandu Minona Rawa. It is displayed for a few hours on the concluding days of the Paro Tesechu festival held from the 10th to 14th day of the Bhutanese lunar calendar’s second month. It is unfurled before dawn for the few hours before the direct rays of the sun strikes it. This giant is about 400 years old, and can be easily damaged by sun rays. Ugyen Pelri : Palace is in a secluded wooded compound on the south side of the river just west of the dzong. It is designed after Guru Rinpoche’s celestial paradise, Zangto Pelri, and is one of the most beautiful examples of Bhutanese architecture.
Dumtse Lhakhang: It is an unusual chorten-like temple that was built in 1433, which has three floors representing represent hell, earth and heaven. The murals inside of this temple are said to be some of the finest in Bhutan.In the evening, you will have some free time to stroll around the streets of Paro for you to do some shopping and visit some farm houses to experience the real lifestyle of Bhutanese people.
Day 03: Excursion to Takstang Monastery.
Today, after a hearty breakfast, we proceed for an excursion to Takstang Monastery by driving to Sartsham Chorten followed by two hours of uphill horse-riding. Takstang Monastery is the famous 17th century temple, also known as “The Tiger’s Nest”, which is perched high on a breathtaking vertical granite rock cliff almost 900 meters above Paro valley (3000 m). In 8th century, Guru Rinpoche, the great Indian saint who brought Buddhism to Bhutan, is believed to have arrived here flying on the back of a tigress and have meditated in the cave here for about three months. After him, many great masters followed. Among them were Guru Milarepa, Guru Padampa Sangye, Guru Machik Lapdrön and Guru Thangtong Gyalpo. The view from here is a superb one, and the atmosphere is very holy with the place itself is revered as of the most sacred places in the universe.At night, we head back to our hotel in Paro.
Day 04: Drive Paro – Shana, Trek begins (2890 m, Distance: 15 km, Duration: 5hrs).
Today we drive for about 5 hours from Paro to Shana, which will be our starting point of the trek. The ruins of Drukgyel Dzong with Mt. Chomolhari behind will make the start of our trek a wonderful one. The trek will start out on a dirt road for 1 hour through a wide, rich, and cultivated valley beneath forest-covered mountains. The first small settlement we will encounter is Tsento Zampa, where we see numerous traditional Bhutanese farmhouses with bright red chilly being dried on their roofs. The trek continues on the east side of the river, gently through the forests, and after two & a half hour of walking we reach at the big military camp of Gunitsawa. The camp has a school and some shops, and your trekking permit will be checked at the camp entrance. At the back of our campsite will be a big snowy peak of Mt. Jo Drakey, and tonight will be our first night of camping inside our tents.
Day 05: Trek Shana – Soe Thangthangka (3575 m, Trek: 22 km, Duration: 7-8 hrs).
Today, it will be a long walk with a lot of distance to cover. We will gain lot in altitude, and we will find the trail rough and stony with many rises and drops in the evening.
Following the river upstream from the campsite, we pass old ruins of Shana Bridge and climb steadily through a heavily forested area of oak, rhododendron, bamboo and ferns. Not far after village of Shing Karap, we pass a junction en-route, where another path leads up the easy, forbidden pass of Tremo La and onwards to the city of Phari in Tibet. Then the trail makes a short steep climb, and then another descent towards the river. After crossing the bridge, we will get to Thongo Zam, which will be our lunch spot. After our lunch, trek to Thangthangka continues through the forest consisting of birch, fir, larch, maple and blue pine. On clear weather we can see Mt. Chomolhari to the North. Further up, we walk for about 20-30 minutes until we reach our campsite in a meadow.
Day 06: Trek Soe Thangthangka- Jangothang (4044 m, Distance: 17 km, Time: 4-5 hrs).
After enjoying the view of Mt. Chomolhari along with our breakfast, we go back on our trail that leaves the forest line and gradually climbs into a beautiful valley passing through Tegethang, a winter home of yak herdsmen. After continuing further, we arrive at Jangothang, which is a base camp of Mt. Chomolhari. This valley is wide and high with mountains like Mt. Chomolhari and Mt. Jichu Drake overlooking the camp and ruins of old fortress nearby. We fix our tents again at night for another night of camping by the majestic mountains.
Day 07: Rest Day at Jangothang.
Today, we will rest at the camp for acclimatization purposes. There will be some good hikes from the base camp, one of them being walking towards the east towards the twin lakes of Tsho Phu. From the lakes, we can catch a spectacular view of Mt. Chomolhari and Mt. Jichu Drake. We can also see hers of Himalayan Blue Sheep in this place.
Day08: Trek Jangothang - Lingshi (4010 m, Trek: 21 km, Duration: 6-7 hrs).
After breakfast, we get back on our trail which starts climbing out of the valley into another that leads to the final climb towards the pass. It will be a long climb of about 3-4 hours to reach the first high and very windy pass of this trek, the Nyelela Pass, also known “sleepy pass” (4890m). From Nyelela Pass, one can see far towards the northeast of the trekking route we will be covering over the next couple of days. Mt. Takaphu dominates the view towards the north and Mt. Gangchen Ta (“Tiger Mountain”) towards the east. After descending through a narrow gorge with a small river crossing, the trail leads to a view-point from which Mt. Lingshi Dzong can be seen. Our campsite will be located next to a river.
Day 09: Trek Lingshi – Shodu (4080 m, Trek: 22km, 8 hrs).
We start early again, as we have a long and a hard day ahead of us. We travel through the rhododendron forest on the ridge above camp towards a small chorten (stupa). Below the chorten flows the No chhu river, which is also known as The Blue river. The climb rises to an altitude of 4450 m, and the last part of the climb is through an area with large boulders and several switch backs. After 4-5 hours of leaving camp we reach the big cairn on the top of the Yale La Pass (4,950m), with views of the snowy mountains around Mt. Linghis and Mt. Basingthang peaks. The descent joins the Jaradinthang Chhu, which becomes the Thimphu River. We follow the river until reaching Shodu, which will have our campsite for our overnight camping.
Day10: Trek Shodu – Barshong (3720 m, Trek: 14 km, Duration: 4-5 hrs).
In the morning, we pass a deserted military camp following the trail towards the river through the limestone valley. While crossing the bridge over the main river, we catch good views of the giant rock faces and waterfalls. The trail gradually ascends 130 m to the Barshong Dzong ruins. We could either camp here or carry on for an hour for a better campsite.
Day 11: Trek Barshong - Dalamkencho (3600 m, Trek: 5-6 hrs).
Today, we descend through alpine forests and meet Thimphu River once again. After lunch climb, we head up to Dolamkencho camp at the altitude of 3,600m. By then, we would have already spent 5 to 6 hours. We set up our tents again and rest our night away.
Day 12: Trek Dolamkencho (3290 m) – Dodena, & Drive to Thimphu (Trek: 8km, 5-6 hours, Drive: 15 km).
The trail goes in and out of side valleys above Thimphu Chu river making a long ascent through a forest of conifers and high altitude broad leaves to a pass at 3,510m. The trail then drops steeply to the river and follows it southward to the road at Dodena (2,600m), where we will be picked up by our counterpart in Bhutan, and driver you to Thimphu. We accommodate ourselves in one of the finest hotel in Thimphu.
Day 13: Thimphu Sightseeing.
After a good breakfast, we drive for two hours to Thimpu, where we proceed to the sightseeing tours of the following prominent locations, before we leave for Paro in the late afternoon.:
Memorial Chorten dominates the skyline of Thimpu. This Chorten is dedicated to the Third King of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, after his sudden death while traveling abroad. A great amount of renovation has taken place for the 2008 celebrations to mark the Century of the Monarchy in Bhutan. While you are here in Thimpu, the Capital City of Bhutan, don't forget to take a stroll to this Memorial Chorten, which looks tall and beautiful as you make around the chorten. The Chorten serves the right place for older people and religious people to visit and worship the god and pay homage to the deities.
Tashichho Dzong (Fortress of the Glorious Religion) was first built in 1661, and except the central keep, the entire structure was rebuilt in 1961-62 and now houses the main government departments, the National Assembly, the throne room of the king, and summer headquarters of the Central Monastic Body.
Simtokha Dzong was built in 1627 making it the oldest in Thimpu and gateway to the Thimpu Valley. The Dzong houses Rigney School for Dzongkha and monastic studies. There are beautiful frescos and slate carvings in Simtokha.
National Museum’s collection includes ancient Bhutanese arts and artifacts, weapons stamps, birds, animals, and an incredible collection of silver tea-ware. This is typical of the eclectic beauty of Bhutan - its prized objects bear little relation to each other but as a whole stand together as a history of one of the world's most pristine people.Thimphu Golf Course is the world most remote golf course, which is just next to Tashichodzong, the seat of His Majesty the King of Bhutan and other ministries. Royal Thimpu golf course is the only course, which is open to the public and interested players.
Weekend Market The weekend market is crammed into a set of stalls on both banks of the Wang Chhu river just north of Changlimithang Stadium. Vendors from throughout the region arrive on Thursday and Friday and remain until Sunday night. It's an interesting place to visit, where village people jostle with Thimpu residents for the best and cheapest vegetables and food products. Fruits come from local orchards and from southern regions, and during the winter you can even pick up a leg of yak (with the hoof still attached). Across the newly constructed cantilever footbridge to the west bank is a collection of stalls, which will be housing clothes, fabrics and handicrafts. Here you will find locally produced goods (as well as plenty of stuff from Nepal), including prayer wheels, cymbals, horns, cloth, baskets and remarkable hats from various minority groups. Bargaining is very much popular, you could get the help from your guide to get the quality of your intended purchase in a reasonable price. In the evening, we accommodate ourselves in the hotel of Paro.
Day 14: Drive Thimphu -Paro (Drive: 65 kms, 2 hrs.)
Relax morning, after breakfast we take 2 hours drive back to Paro. At Paro you will have free day and could explore the suroundings of your interest after lunch, if you wish to make an excursion on this day let you guide know to advise you appropriate hiking route.
Day 14: Departure
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Trip Info
- Arrival Info:
Our representative will be arriving at the airport you will be landing. Please look for a board with your name or South Asian Holidays. Upon welcome greetings, you will be transfered to hotel. - Hotel Info:
Hotel we book are carefully selected and located in the city center unless you requested different hotel by name and category. - Guide Info:
We carefully select our guides who knows the route well and lead several group for the same trip you booked.
